UNKNOWN

Would God find a wife for me?

I considered myself a decent Christian guy with reasonable looks and personality, yet I had always had trouble finding a woman who would be a good wife for me. Each of the relationships I pursued with my own abilities always resulted in failure. Typically, myself or the girl ended up emotionally hurt, not to mention the discomfort that was caused to families and the time wasted. I realized that just because a girl happened to be a strong Christian didn’t mean that we were going to be compatible.

I was now in my mid 30’s and starting to worry that I would be alone for the rest of my life. Not long after breaking out of another senseless mismatched relationship, I began examining Biblical scriptures about prayer, specifically what God expected one to do in order to get a prayer answered.

To my surprise, many of the scriptures I discovered indicated that Christians could generally expect God to answer their prayers. It became clear that if I asked God for something that I needed and believed that I received it, I could expect Him to grant it to me. I found the scripture in John 15:7 where Jesus said:

“If you abide in Me and my words in you, ask what you will and it will be done for you.”

I decided to pray. I asked God for a suitable wife and wrote down the exact date and kept it in a file on my computer. I tried not to worry much about it after that. The responsibility was out of my hands and in God’s. I kept believing and thanking God.

A year or so later, I ended up meeting a woman on a Christian friendship web site that allowed members to post their profiles with testimonies and info about themselves. Without going into detail, the manner in which we met didn’t follow the usual protocol of the web site service and it was doubtful that we would end up in a relationship together. Yet, things progressed to our surprise.

She was a Christian believer like myself, but lived on the other side of the world. She had also prayed in a similar fashion asking God for a suitable husband. We arranged to meet in person after about a year or so of corresponding and talking via telephone. It turned out that she was absolutely perfect for me and vice versa.

Due to immigration issues, we had to wait and suffer for years before we could actually get married. Now, we’re enjoying the fruits of a wonderful marriage relationship. Thanks to God for answering our prayers.

I never knew my biological parents. My grandmother took care of me until I was 5 months of age. She knew a lady that ran an orphanage and gave me to the lady to find a suitable home for me. At 6 months of age I was adopted by a Christian father (of whom I called daddy) and mother (of whom I called mama). The brought me to their home that was in another state. I always call God, my Father. I was able to recognize Him at a very early age. At the age of 3, I nearly drowned in the ocean while visiting my grandparents in Florida. I remember what happened and it is very vide until this day. I was swept up by a undertow. I remember opening my eyes and seeing a light and I began to “dog paddle” as if I were climbing a ladder. I blacked out after a hugh wave swept me away. I remember turning upside down and twirling around as if I were inside a tornado. I felt the sand brush along my face. I must have blacked out again as I remember then drifting up toward the top of the wave. I opened my eyes again and saw a large hand grab onto my small hand and then as I blacked out again, came too and was coughing up the sea water. When my mama was in an assisted living home and I visited her, she told me that a man close by tried to rescue me, but because the undertow was too strong he could not get to me. She told me that she was the one who pulled me out of the ocean. I KNOW that the hand that grabbed onto mine was much larger than her hand…..it was God placing my hand into hers. I was 8 years old when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior even though I KNEW HIM when He saved me from that ocean.

I have many stores of just how God showed me just how much He loves each of us and that He cares for ALL of His creation. My mother told me one day that my daddy didn’t know how to show his love, but when he looked at me and I smiled, he was “hooked” and he was able to begin to show his love. Men in those years were told that men did not cry, so they hide their emotions. My daddy was tall and cared for everyone. Everyone that he came in contact with loved him. I KNOW that God put our relationship together for In that relationship, we could almost read each other’s mind at times. It was God showing me the kind of relationship He wants with each one of His creation.

As I grew up, I wanted to be a medical missionary. That was all that I talked about. God allowed that door to crack a little, then that door was shut. When I went to see my mama at the assisted living home, she told me that all I talked about was being a missionary but that she prayed that God would not take me to a foreign place. I realized fully why God did what He did. My mission field came in the form of an Administrative Secretary.

My life has had many ups and downs, but because of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace, I have LEARNED to RUN TO HIM for everything that happens in my life. Learning to Trust, Obey, and Follow Him has been one of the greatest things that I have done for my life. You see, WITHOUT HIM we are nothing, but WITH HIM we CAN move those mountains. Life is not easy by any means, but God has a plan for me and for you. He has the BEST interest in our life.

I have read God’s Word (the Bible) many times and each time, He shows me something new that I need to understand. We are all babes at first, but as we grow, God presents to us the meat of His Word and then we can understand it more. I have always relied on Him to show me the way to go. I have not always acknowledged Him in helping me when I have a situation, but when I LEARNED to give up and LET HIM have His WAY, then it all works out. One incident…I bought a flash drive only to loose it. I looked and looked for it but could not find it. I gave up. After several months that went by, I was straightening up an area on my desk, to my surprise, that flash drive had stuck on a folder. When I turned the folder over, I found that flash drive that I had lost. I have other stories of that nature and when I frantically look for something, I stop and say, “God, YOU know where that item is so I will wait until you show me where I put it”. When I do that, I find what I had been looking for and it didn’t take but a few minutes instead of a week or two. He already knows where we have put things so instead of frantically looking for it, I learned to take a deep breath and ask Him to help me find what I am looking for. It is so much easier that way. For when we panic and become afraid, it takes longer to get what we are looking for.

Having children was another reason I learned to trust God. My first child was “breech birth” (was upside down at delivery), of course I KNEW he was going to be ok. After the 2nd birth, I was told not to have any more as he jaundiced at birth and it was because of the Rh factor. They had come out with a shot for women who had negative blood and their husband had positive blood, but for some reason I was not eligible for it. So the doctor said not to have any more. God had other plans. We had a 3rd child. I KNEW in my heart he would be alright. People think God doesn’t speak to them, but HE DOES. That child was coming sideways, but as I went into labor, he began turning himself. Though all of my pregnancies’, I had hardly any pain. I KNEW God was in it for the long haul and I just trusted Him for everything. 

God IS everywhere, KNOWS everything, and IS in CONTROL. In October, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I KNEW in my mind that everything was going to be ok. There was a lymph node that had swollen around the cancer area. The cancer itself was contained and was very very small (as large as an English pea). Upon removal, I am cancer free. I did not have to have any lymph nodes taken out nor did I have to have any radiation or chemo. All of the cancer was removed. 

Another thing I learned to do at an early age was to Praise the Lord and THANK Him for every thing He has done in my life. He will do the same for you….all you have to do is Trust, Obey, and Follow Him. We CAN become ONE WITH Him. Our thoughts do become His thoughts and His thoughts are always with us. He KNOWS what we think. He KNOWS how we feel. We ARE His creation. People CAN KNOW HIM and when we do, we reap the benefits…..LIFE for ALL ETERNITY. 

I have many people that I have asked the Lord to place in my heart so that I can pray for them and lift them up daily. I don’t want to forget anyone that I have ever come in contact with. That is how you KNOW that He IS the GREAT I AM. He will never let you down, He will never leave nor forsake you. You can ALWAYS count on Him to do the BEST for you. He gave us a mind to think with and He gave us choices. It is up to us to make the right choice. When we make wrong choices, then we have to pay the consequences for those bad choices. 

Our biggest asset is in our daily prayer. Praying for one another does change things. I prayed for a person for nearly 25 years before they accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I didn’t ask God to change that person, but to show ME what I needed to do so that person would SEE Jesus in me. You may have to back off from that person, but you should never stop praying for them. Let God bring them to Him….and He will through prayer. That is why it is so important to pray for one another. It is our communication line with the Father. He does meet our needs every day, but in His time….not ours. It is so much better that way. 

As long as I am Praising and Thanking Him along with singing the Hymns that He gave us, I KNOW that my life will take on a new meaning and that my love for Him grows each day. Blessed be His Holy Name. 

I always end with: Take care and stay safe….may God continue to shower you with His Blessings…in Jesus Name.

Love & Prayers, ALWAYS

Nancy 

Michael Weis

Michael Weis was born in West Virginia and heard the Gospel in upstate New York and put his faith in Jesus as a young boy.  He grew slowly because his family moved around a lot and were without a church for many years.  Michael prayed and enjoyed reading Proverbs however, and it was not until college that he was baptized.  Upon graduating from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Theatre, he moved to Florida to work in the entertainment industry and began studying Christian Apologetics, and has taught the Bible for over 20 years. 

 There was a time in my life that I had anger problems, particularly in college.  While at times it is still a struggle now, the Lord helped me through a lot.  In fact, there was one night where I was lying in bed, praying and crying out to God for help. He did help me and took a lot of that anger away that night.  Again, while there are times when this raises its ugly head, He has given me strength and continues to do so, and gives His forgiveness and grace when I fail.

Around 2000, he began teaching God’s word and in 2006, started his missionary work, first to the Philippines, and then travelled to many other places including Colombia South America with Voice of the Martyrs, Taiwan, 3 times in Israel, and 4 times in China.  In China, he first worked with missionaries to reach college students, and the last three times he trained church leaders. The last time was on his visit to China with China Partner.  Though he went as an observer, the scheduled teacher was not feeling well in the morning and asked Michael to teach.  He was humbled and honoured to teach that session.  After that, he visited Hong Kong.

He lived in Japan for just over 2 years as a self-supporting missionary, where he met his wife, Pek Kuan, who is from Singapore, serving with her church.  They were married in America in 2017, and have a son who turned 2 years old in June 2020.  

My first name is Paul,

I was born of missionary parents in the country of Swaziland, now known as eSwatini, which is close to Mozambique on the South Eastern coast of Africa.

My father was born to a farming family in Southern Indiana in the early 1900’s, in a culture that survived on both skills in farming and marketing of basic needs. God used the situation and its challenges to draw the family to Himself. Farming for money and survival at the same time was a common challenge in those days. 

God chose to bring His Word and sound preaching thereof in a camp-meeting style, and many found the Lord in very unique ways.  My father was one of them that came to the Lord, and began to lead young people to the Lord in these camp-meeting days.

Sensing his vision, a woman who felt she had missed God’s best by getting married too early, shared a book she had written on the subject, and urged him to use it to raise money to go to Bible College. 

He was successful, went to college in Michigan, where he met my mother Shortly after graduation, they were married. They travelled to South Africa and called the people to repentance, and living out the Christian life.

That is where it started for me – the family then moved from Swaziland, (iSwatini), to the Cape, where I started in primary school (or the grades, as we would say in the US. During that time, God brought co-missionaries from other missions from the Islands south of the Americas with a fervor for true conversion. It was there that God moved in my spirit, and through the fear of God, was led to Salvation, after which another missionary shared the beautiful passage of Romans 8:28, which gave me a new vision for life.

Normal schooling, and moves with our family to several locations in Africa, to prepare for a worldwide ministry for my parents, prepared me for studies towards ministry. 

I settled the question of my calling prior to marriage, and studied accordingly, moving back to South Africa with my wife to pastor in three churches there. 

We then went to the United States, where we have been in pastoral ministry since. 

As i look back, the most vital thing we have learned is that God calls at the realization of Who is trying to communicate with the one He selects. Once this is settled, He leads the way, as Psalm 43:3 teaches. 

To this day, I love how He communicates and leads accordingly!

As we recognize Him, and follow Him, we soon realize that everything comes from Him.

Paul Wilson

You mentioned needing testimonies of how people came to know the lord and asked him to save them from their sins and give them endless life. My Testimony is below.

I was raised as a Roman Catholic and although I always believed in the Lord I wanted to know Him a whole lot better then I did but no one told me how to be saved until I was eighteen. When I was a Junior in high school I was sitting in the cafeteria after lunch waiting for my special ed class to start since there was no where else to go. While I was sitting there a boy came to me and introduced himself to me as Michael Latodda. He told me that the Lord wanted to have a relationship with me and be my friend and we talked a lot on an almost daily basis about salvation. He and his family had been Catholics but after they asked the Lord to give them endless life they left the Catholic church and joined a Baptist church. Well for several days after our talks when I realized that Michael wasn’t talking about philosophy the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was dead in my sins and needed to ask the lord to live in my heart and save me from sin’s affects. Well I thought about it a lot and knew that I always had to live right and trust the lord for all things but I was nervous since I was worried that if I blew it the lord might not be that thrilled with me. I talked to a classmate a girl in my English class about the Lord right before I asked Jesus to save me and then the next day I was feeling grumpy about having to be in school at all due to legal issues of always having to be in school. Well we were in English this girl and myself and the English teacher was discussing how to make sentences make sense when we were writing essays or book reports and I kept thinking this is so boring and why do I even have to be stuck in this class. My friend and i were sitting next to each other at our desks and suddenly I was awed and terrified when I saw a blinding studio light in the classroom. I wanted to leave the classroom but I knew that I couldn’t explaine to the teacher why I suddenly wanted to leave. At the same time my friend also saw the blinding light of god’s presence as well. After class she told me what she had seen and I told her that I too had seen the same awesome light. Then I asked her if the sun was out and she let me know that the day was extremely cloudy without any sun. Before we had left class we both prayed that Jesus would be our Savior and though we were quietly praying out loud no one heard us praying to him. Well that’s how I met the Lord in a personal way and now my high school friend and i have endless life even if our bodies die first. I pray that my testimony will cause you too to ask the Lord in to your heart forever too!

Pam